Who Is the Lord That I Should Obey Him?

“Who is the Lord, that I, Pharaoh should obey him? I do not obey anyone.” Every unbeliever in Jesus Christ asks the same question as Pharaoh, who asked, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go’” (Exod. 5:2). We read in Psalm 14:1, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

The truth is that everyone obeys either the true and living God of the Holy Bible or the devil. Let me prove it from 1 John 3:10. John says, “This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.” The Pledge of Allegiance says, “One nation under God.” Our coins say, “In God we trust.”

There is no chance or accident in God’s universe. The coronavirus came from God. He proved what unbelievers value. To them, abortion is an essential service. Planned Parenthood received about $80 million from the federal government. Alcohol sales are essential services, but churches must be closed. Why? Worship of the true and living God—the Creator, Redeemer God—is a “non-essential” service. “Brilliant” people ask the question, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him? After all, I am the lord. I don’t obey anyone.” But true Christians obey God because we are God’s people.

Moses was sent to Pharaoh by the Lord of Pharaoh, as we read in Exodus 3:9–10: [God said to Moses:] “And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

Pharaoh mocked the Lord of heaven and earth. He asked Moses, the delegated authority of the true and living God, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him?” (Exod. 5:2). In other words, “I don’t recognize your Lord, Moses.”

I. The Question of Every Unbeliever: “Who Is the Lord, That I Should Obey Him?”

1. The Lord answers

The question of every unbeliever is, ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey him?” And the Lord himself answers the question: “I am the living and true God, Creator, Redeemer, “I Am That I Am,” the God of Pharaoh. I sent Moses my servant to you to tell you, ‘Let my people go out of Egypt that they may worship me.’ Obey me and live; disobey me and be destroyed. Pharaoh, do you want to know more about me? I am God who is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, unchangeable in my being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth (Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 4). If you do not want to obey me, consider my plan for your destruction”:

• Psalm 135:6, 8–9: “The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. . . . He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, the firstborn of men and animals. He sent his signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants.” But that is not all.
• Psalm 136:10–15: “to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt . . . and brought Israel out from among them . . . with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; . . . to him who divided the Red Sea asunder . . . and brought Israel through the midst of it, . . . but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea [and killed them].”

We may think worship is non-essential. But God says, “I, the Lord, consider worship of me to be most essential.” The psalmist said, “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care” (Ps. 95:6–7a).

2. The Lord must be obeyed by all people

How do we obey? Consider the following:

• Immediately: Psalm 119:32: “I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.”
• Exactly: John 14:31: [Jesus said,] “The world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.”
• Gladly: Isaiah 64:5: “You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways.”

To those who say, “I want to do what I want to do how I want to do when I want to do, and who are you, Lord, to tell me what to do?” the Lord answers, “I am the Lord, who destroys my enemies.”

3. You must obey the Lord’s delegated authorities

Moses was a delegated authority of God.  God says in 1 John 13:20: “I tell you the truth, whoever [obeys] anyone I send [obeys] me; and whoever [obeys] me [obeys] the one who sent me” (my translation).

You must obey your parents, your father and mother. Why? They are delegated authorities of God. You must also obey your pastors, and you must obey Jesus, the Lord.

Obey your parents

• Ephesians 6:1–3: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise— ‘that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.’” My translation: “That you may enjoy eternal life.”
• Exodus 20:12: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you,” My translation: “That you may receive eternal life.”

Obey your pastors

• Hebrews 13:17: “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be [detrimental]to you.”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13: “Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest [esteem] in love because of their work.”

Obey Jesus, the Lord

You must obey Jesus, who received all authority in heaven and on earth. He is the Judge. The Father wants him to judge, and he is coming back in glory to judge (Matt. 25:31–46). He is coming again. You cannot crucify him, you cannot beat him, you cannot spit on him. He has all authority in heaven and on earth.

• Hebrews 5:8–9: “Although he was [eternal Son], he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.”
• 2 Peter 1:10 says make your calling and election sure by obedience—immediately, exactly, and joyfully. Obedience proves that you are saved.

4. God’s delegated authorities are to teach the word of God.

Parents are to teach us the word of God. Ministers are also to teach us the word, that we will obey it.

• Matthew 7:24: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and [Pastor’s translation: obeys them] is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Who is the rock? Jesus. That is great security.
• 2 Timothy 3:15: Grandmother Lois and mother Eunice taught Timothy from infancy. That is when you should start teaching, and God will cause the word to go into the child’s mind. So we read, “And how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

The Lord answered again to Pharaoh: “Did you ask, ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey him?’”

II. The Lord Answers Again

1. I am God Almighty
   • Isaiah 9:6–7: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.”
2. I am the King of kings
   • Revelation 19:16: “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of kings and lord of lords.”
3. I am Lord of all lords. I possess all authority in the universe.
   • Matthew 28:18: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’”
   • Philippians 2:9–11: “Therefore God exalted [Jesus] to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (PGM) Everyone, including all unbelievers, will bow the knee and confess, “You are Lord.” And he will send all unbelievers to hell. Everyone, without exception and including Pharaoh, who was killed in the Red Sea, will be raised up and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
   • Psalm 2:10–12: “Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”
   • Romans 10:9: “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the covenant Lord; we are his bondslaves (douloi). Few people believe and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and fewer people obey him and are truly saved.
4. My servant Moses himself feared and trembled before me.
   • Hebrews 12:21: “The sight [of God] was so terrifying that Moses said, ‘I am trembling with fear.’” Pharaoh did not tremble. This Pharaoh and his mighty army was killed by the God of Moses.

III. The Lord Reveals Himself in Salvation and Destruction

1. The Lord unleashed ten plagues. Egyptians died, including the son of Pharaoh.
2. The Lord saved all the Israelites through the dried-up Red Sea.
3. In the Red Sea, then filled again with water, the Lord destroyed Pharaoh, the Egyptians, the chariots, the horses, and the army.
   • Psalm 136:15: “[He] swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea” to be destroyed.

IV.  The Israelites Are Not Immune

The Israelites were not immune to the Lord’s Judgment. In other words, God judges his own people, meaning Christians.

1. We read Joshua 5:6, that the Israelites refused to obey. Six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and forty-eight men, including Moses and Aaron, were killed in the desert. This should shock us. Moses was told to go and speak to the rock. Instead, he hit the rock twice and water came out, but he died.

• 1 Corinthians 10:5: “[The Israelites all crossed over the Red Sea] Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them.” I am reading from the Bible. “Their bodies were scattered over the desert.”
• Read Deuteronomy 28.
• Covenant theology is the most correct theology. Through it, the Lord teaches us, “I am your God who saves you. As God, I command, ‘Repent, believe, and obey.’ You are my people; you are to obey my commands.” The one who received all authority commands. He commands us to repent, he commands us to believe, and he commands us to love one another. 

Conclusion

1. If you are an unbeliever in Jesus, who is the Creator, Savior, Destroyer, and Judge, I counsel you: Please stop asking, “Who is the Lord that I should obey him?” Instead, repent and believe in Jesus and be saved today.
   • 2 Corinthians 6:1–2: “As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” Why now? Because today you are alive. Tomorrow, you do not know whether you will be alive. Call upon the name of the Lord today and be saved.
2. If we are believers, let us continue to fear God and obey the Lord and be blessed daily.

• Deuteronomy 4:24: “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”
• Exodus 20:20: “Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.’” Why do people sin? They have no fear of God. May God give us fear of God to keep us from sinning.
• Hebrews 5:8–9: Jesus obeyed his Father perfectly. “Although he was Son, he learned obedience by the things he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who [habitually, daily] obey him.”
• Matthew 28: 18–20: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” And I know that God is with us. He is a wall of fire around us and the glory within (Zech. 2:5).

Therefore, I say to you, work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12–13).

Finally, I encourage you to obey the Lord and be blessed. In Deuteronomy 28:1–2, we read, “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God.”